NASA tested the Saturn I launch vehicle with a boilerplate Apollo spacecraft for the first time.
The mission, AS-101, was the sixth launch of the Saturn I launch vehicle. The boilerplate spacecraft was essentially an empty shell in the shape of an Apollo Command and Service Module with an approximate weight of the actual spacecraft. The mission was to examine the rocket’s ability to bring a spacecraft to orbit. It was a complete success, completing 54 orbits before returning to Earth.